Ephedra viridis

Family: Ephedraceae
Common Name: mormon tea
Symbol: EPVI
Description: EPVI stems are bright green, while EPTO stems appear much more gray. "Leaves" are small black/brown scales on stem. EPVI has two, EPTO has three. Shrubs erect, 0.5--1 m. Bark gray, cracked and irregularly fissured. Branches alternate or whorled, rigid, angle of divergence about 30-. Twigs bright green to yellow-green, becoming yellow with age, not viscid, ridges between longitudinal grooves barely papillate, smooth; internodes 1--5 cm. Terminal buds conic, 1--2 mm, apex obtuse. Leaves opposite, 2--5 mm, connate to 1/2--3/4 their length, not photosynthetic; bases thickened, brown, persistent, becoming hard, enlarged, and black; apex setaceous.